According to a recent Gallup consumer spending poll, American are still spending 30 percent less than they did in 2008, or just a cool average of $63 per day. Debt has been falling off the books at a quick pace for most households to the tune of 101.2 billion in the last 14 months. So as discretionary spending has subsided, businesses that sell value, dollar stores, discount services, retail shops, are all thriving amid the “penny-pinching attitude,” a mindset that seems destined to linger well beyond an economic rebound.
Amid people looking to cash in on some of their second-hand items to squeeze out extra cash from past discretionary spending, some great new services have emerged as a result of the recession.
Here are some sites and services we love that are really helpful to folks looking to save and shop smarter:
BillShrink – This is a cool online tool that helps users lower monthly expenses such as cell phone plans, credit cards and even gas. The site is set up to as ask a few questions about your spending and then sends users a list of recommended services and vendors that can assist them based on their needs.
Check out Peter Pham’s site: http://www.billshrink.com/
Copy Cat Chic – Sharing some great deals and bargains, Interior Designer Reichel Broussard follows the latest high-end home design trends and scours the internet for liquidations, closeouts and bargains to achieve five star looks for a fraction of the price.
Her Site is: http://www.copycatchic.com/
Rent Cycle – An online rental marketplace that connects over 30,000 rental businesses offering cool items from cameras to bikes. If you need to rent anything, you should definitely connect with Rent Cycle… we even found someone in our area who rents out their crane!
Check them out: http://www.rentcycle.com/
20×200 – This site for art lovers wishing to become art collectors can make their dreams come true, on the cheap. We found many of the pieces selling for just $20 (small ones), but there was a decent selection of originality and choices. It’s an easy to use site and if you’re looking to jazz up a wall in your home on a dime, this is one site you should definitely visit!
Check it out: http://www.20×200.com/
Do you have a cool service that is dedicated to frugal shoppers and thriving in this economy? Let us know and we’ll share it with everyone on our blog!
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